S.H.I.E.L.D.,Triskelion.
Nick Fury looked at the press conference on the screen, and his face was darker than the bottom of the pot.
"Damn it..." Fury threw the remote control on the table, "He didn't even bother to notify us."
"Sir." Agent Hill held the folder with an ugly expression on his face, "Security Council just sent an urgent call. In view of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s 'serious lag' and 'major dereliction of duty' in intelligence, they decided to... temporarily freeze 30% of our budget and require us to unconditionally cooperate with Vought International's actions during this crisis."
"Cooperate?" Fury sneered, "They want us to be nannies for that blond bastard."
He was keenly aware that the net was tightening. Vought was not only taking away their jobs, but also digging up their roots.
"And..." Hill paused, "They are discussing a proposal called <Near-Earth Orbital Defense Outsourcing Act>. If passed, future alien defense missions will be given priority to...Vought International."
"Some directors even suggested that the functions of S.H.I.E.L.D. are too bloated and suggested... splitting up, reorganizing, or even disbanding."
"Ha." Fury sneered, "Disband? How dare they think about it."
"They don't even know that it's like handing the sword into the hands of the devil." Hill said indignantly, "Those politicians are all fascinated by Homelander."
"It's not just politicians."
Steve·Rogers strode into the office. Still wearing the iconic uniform, holding the shield in his hand.
"Captain, you're here." Fury turned around.
"You also think I shouldn't come?" Steve's eyes were full of disappointment, "I just think...Vought may be radical, but at least they are doing something. And what about us? Nick?"
"Dark Elves is coming. The whole world knows it. It was Homelander who told everyone. And where is S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence network? Are you still looking for the so-called ghost all day long?"
"We are catching a mole, captain!" Hill argued.
"Have you finished catching the mole? The enemy's spaceship is about to arrive at your door!" Steve slammed the shield on the table, "I was at Vought, watching those children training to protect the earth. But at S.H.I.E.L.D.... I only saw suspicion, prevarication and damn bureaucracy."
"If S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot protect the world, then there is indeed no need for it to exist."
"Natasha found some clues. After this matter is over, don't come to me again. I hope to do something more meaningful."
After saying that, Steve put down a USB flash drive and turned around to leave.
Fury looked at Captain America's back and didn't refute.
At the same time, in the shadows inside the building.
Alexander Pierce is talking on the phone.
"This won't work." Pierce tried his best to control his voice as calmly as possible, but it was too anxious to hide, "S.H.I.E.L.D. is our hard work. If S.H.I.E.L.D. falls, what will our fifty years of infiltration mean?"
After hanging up the phone, he leaned back in his chair tiredly and pressed his eyebrows feebly.
"Sir, what should we do next?" Rumlow looked nervous.
"Listen, Rumlow. This time... we want to help Fury."
"What?" Rumlow looked surprised, thinking he heard wrongly.
"You heard it right." Pierce said coldly, "We will do our best to help S.H.I.E.L.D. survive this crisis. We have to prove that S.H.I.E.L.D. is still valuable, even if it is just as a supporting role for Vought. When the host dies, there is no point in parasitism."
"But..." Rumlow couldn't accept it for a while.
"No but..." Pierce slammed the table, "Execute the order."
"Hydra suspends all sabotage activities until this crisis is over."
"Full cooperation with Nick Fury."
"We are more patriotic than anyone else and more heroic than anyone else. We want to prove that S.H.I.E.L.D. is not only useful, but also indispensable."
"Even..." Pierce gritted his teeth, "If necessary, let our agents block Nick Fury's gun."
"No matter what, this sign S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot be thrown into our hands!"
"Jesse! Hail Hydra!"
"Hail Hydra!"
As for Homelander, the system gave him another surprise.
"Ding! The system has detected that the organization under the leadership of the host has a large hero team!"
"Hero League Module is officially activated!"
"Module description: When the host, as the leader, leads the group to engage in large-scale public battles with or outside the group's superhero team, the positive Popularity Points obtained by all team members (including temporary members) will be converted into 10% of the Popularity Points income."
"Note: This benefit is an additional reward and does not affect the members' own popularity."
"Fuck!"
Wu Yanzu jumped up from his chair.
10% commission?!
What does this mean? It means that he must become bigger and stronger and create greater glory!
Immediately afterwards, Vought Media released a second bombshell.
<Who Is the Next Superhero??> Official Twitter update:
"This is war! This is not a drill!"
"The reality show competition system has been fully upgraded!"
"Ultimate Trial!"
"Iron Man team, Captain America team, Jewel's Team! Thirty top students, under the leadership of three instructors, will directly participate in the defense operations against aliens as the advance team!"
"Vought Technologies will provide the newly developed 'Hummingbird' micro drone group, which will bring you the first-person view of the scene! The entire process will be broadcast live!"
"The one with the best performance will be directly promoted to the official seat of 'The Seven'!"
"At the same time, all city heroes under the Vought contract will cancel their vacations before and after the decisive battle and fight against evil with all their strength! No villain can be allowed to take advantage of the troubled waters!"
As soon as this tweet came out, the whole Internet went crazy!
Let hero trainees fight aliens?
This is too hardcore!
Vought Headquarters, conference room.
In the conference room, the three major mentors gathered together.
The atmosphere was a bit solemn.
Homelander is sitting in the front seat, and Jessica is sitting on his left, pouring whiskey into the coffee.
Sitting opposite were Captain America Steve·Rogers with a solemn expression, and Iron Man Tony·Stark with an unhappy look on his face while playing with his mobile phone.
"So..." Tony said directly without raising his head, "Has your brain been tricked by Bifrost? These kids have only been training for a few weeks? You want to take them to fight the regular alien army?! Do you think this is playing <Half-Life>?
"It's actual combat, Tony." Homelander corrected, "It's not a game."
"This is war! Anthony!" Steve stood up suddenly and put his hands on the table, "This is not a reality show! Those students... the youngest of them is only sixteen years old, and some of them have never even fought! You will kill them!"
"Captain, how long did you train when you went to the battlefield?" Homelander asked, "If I remember correctly, you also jumped directly into Hydra Base from the stage of selling national debt, right?"
Steve was speechless. "That's different... I'm a super soldier, and..."
"There's nothing different." Homelander stood up, put his hands on the table, and glanced at the three of them.
"Dark Elves's purpose is to destroy the world, literally. If the world is destroyed, where can these kids hide?"
"We are selecting the Seven, not a boy group or a girl group."
"If they don't experience the baptism of blood and fire, why should they stand by my side? What qualifications do they have to join the Seven?"